Qatar Airways and Ireland's Aer Lingus are in talks to start direct flights between Dublin and Doha, said a report.

According to a report in Gulf News, the negotiations come three weeks after the Gulf carrier announced an increase in its stake in Aer Lingus parent company International Airlines Group (IAG).

Aer Lingus chief executive Stephen Kavanagh said Qatar Airways’ network would help the carrier compete with Middle East carriers Emirates and Etihad who both fly to Dublin from their Gulf hubs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the report said.

“Now that we have not just a shareholder but also a partner with a competitive network in that regard I think its only a matter of time,” he said.